Home & Cooking Guide

COOKING

Cooking in a rice cooker is the most basic task everyone can do in a kitchen. Making your rice perfectly, and fluffy white rice and not distinct and mushy. This is not very impossible to achieve though there are some secret that will make your cooking experience more perfectly and fluffy. Always use the right amount of water for your rice. Always make sure that you do not escape the resting step at the end of your cooking. This will able your rice to still moist and distributed to all for a more uniform texture inside your pot. In coking with your rice cooker to make sure to follow this simple step.

Rinse and soak (if needed only) for a while!

Make sure that you rinse your rice very well before starting to cook. This will make sure that you remove all the unnecessary chemical that farmer uses during the cropping. Especially when your rice is from another country who uses talc during the milling process. To get better results with your rice doesn’t soak it for a long time. But if you are using older rice you need to soak it for about 30 minutes, so that the grain will less brittle and not prone to breakage.Some also soak their rice before cooking enable for the rice to expand to its maximum length. After soaking make sure that you drain your rice properly to avoid using more water in cooking than your usual water use. If you don’t have a rice cooker yet, check Cookermag recommendations.

Equal Rice and Water!

Make sure that you equal your water to the cup of rice you are about to cook, example if you are cooking 2 cups of rice make sure that you also put 2 cups of water or you can find the equal water level of your cup of rice inside or outside of your rice cooker. If you are using a bit of dry rice you need to add a little bit of water to your rice. Always keep in mind that there are lots of type of rice in the market so make sure that before putting it into the pot, you already know if it is a dry rice or not. Read more about this method.

Do not rinse basmati and jasmine rice!

I know that I already said to rice or soak your rice before cooking it, but there is always an exception to the rule. Jasmine rice is also known as the fragrant rice this kind of rice contains a subtle flavor that cannot be washed away so that the flavor will stay longer until the rice is cooked. There is also a disadvantage in not rinsing your Jasmin rice it can definitely affect the texture of your cooked rice. So as the basmati rice.

Let the rice absorb the moisture at the end of cooking!

After your rice cooker cook it will automatically go into warming mode with a click or some with a beep. Do not remove your pot during this stage so that all the moisture will absorb by you cooked rice and will allow the rice to cook perfectly and fluffy. Do not open the cover of your rice cooker not until it is warm enough to eat the rice. Do not leave the cover open for a long period of time to avoid hardening of your cook rice.

Keep your rice cooker still plugged when there is still rice in it!

Even though you are cooking your rice, just keep the rice cooker plugged in. Rice cooker was designed to make the rice moist to make the environment of the rice still warm for a perfectly cooked and even very tasty rice even if it is already finished cooking.

Do not use metal to serve rice!

Most of rice cookers have a non-stick pot surface, if you are using a metal utensil to serve the rice it might damage your non-stick pot, especially if you are using a metal spoon, fork and etc. Always use plastic when serving the rice. Also, do not use a steel wool in cleaning your rice cooker it will also damage your non stick pot. Click to read more cooking tips!

Making your own bread at home is very quick, easy and very cost effective with the help of your bread maker machine. You don’t need to know much about how to make or bake a bread in order to have a very fresh bread in the morning and afternoon snacks. You can be the master of your own kitchen when you have this great bread maker machine. You can purchase this at your local stores or on the internet with a very affordable price that range from $50 to $300 depends on the size and features of your machine. Automatic bread machine will help you save on buying your bread everyday at your favorite bakery, this will also time efficient, you just measure all the ingredients of your bread, then put all together in your machine and the machine will do the rest for you.

Before buying this automatic bread maker machine you should always pay attention to the benefit it gives to you, look for a machine that will best fit all your needs and of course a machine that will offer great features for all its users. The Price of bread maker machine depends on the brands, sizes and the feature it offers. But most machine’s price is depending on the programmable features it offer. If you want a machine that has lots of great features like a timer, for example, then you have to pay more for it. Also consider the size of the loaf bread when you are planning to buy for a bread maker machine. This will also play an important rule in making your daily bread. Some machine makes loaf ranging from 1 to 3 pounds while some offer 2 or more even different size options. Also keep in mind that home baked bread does not stay fresh for longer days compare to store bought bread. Make sure that you will be able to eat all of your bake bread to avoid damage and wastages.

In choosing a bread maker machine also, consider the shape of your baked bread. Is it vertical or horizontal? Most of the machines have a tall square shape. Most of the new models of bread maker machine has a vertical and horizontal bread loaf shape and long rectangular shape loaf pan. Just bare in mind that whenever you want to buy a machine that have a horizontal loaf, it should also have two kneading blades together with the machine to mix all the ingredients properly. Program settings of your machine can also be very important to have. This will able to help you choose what kind of crust you want, is it dark or light. If you love to experiment on bread, then you need to have a machine that will able to help you choose on what kind of bread that you are about to bake. There are also some types of machines that will allow you to add in some ingredients like dried fruit or nuts, the machine will alert you if it is the right time to add this add on ingredients. Basically, if you really want all this feature on your machine you should be willing to pay extra cash for this feature.

To have the right bread maker machine, you should also consider the machines brands. There are lots of brand name in the market that could possibly have different features. But to know what is the best brand to pick for your machine can be tricky, always go for a brand that are best in bread making or the brands that are well known in bread making machines. Also check for the customer review of the product and look for any feedback about the machine. Most of the brands that offer great bread maker machine are often those companies that also have a high quality rice cooker.

The bottom line of this article is to help you choose the right bread maker machine that will best fit your needs. Always go for a machine that will make the most appropriate bread size of your needs and has the right set of programmable features.

A dehydrator is a kitchen appliance that is used for dry preservation of food. It extends food’s shelf life by removing moisture that bacteria or fungi needs spoil it. People dry food for future consumption or eaten as is. The process may take several hours, depending on the amount of moisture the food has. Dehydrated food will have reduced volume, change in appearance but retains its nutrients.

Ancient means of food preservation

Past civilisations know that well dried foods keep well. Instead of a dehydrator, they employed the sun’s rays to keep slices of raw food to dry. Food are placed in trays and exposed to the sun or hung on strings. The principle is pretty basic: the food needs to be exposed to air and heat without being eaten by other animals or made dirty by the environment. According to Dehydratorium Editors, these methods may not always yield consistent results.

Solar dehydrators are off grid equipment that uses solar power to draw out moisture from food. However, since it lacks a thermostat, food that has been processed through this type of dehydrator ends up too dry or have the tendency to have a dry exterior but a slightly moist interior. Too desiccated and the food ends up barely edible and its enzymes gone. Otherwise, it won’t keep for more than a few weeks before mould sets in.

Components of modern dehydrators

Modern dehydrators are powered by electricity as it needs a source of energy to control its various parts. Regardless of its capacity, dehydrators have a heating element, fans, vents, and food trays. It should also have a thermostat and a timer. Fancier models have glass doors and an in-house light.

The heating element provides the heat which draws moisture out of food. It works with the fans, which should ideally be placed on the side, and vents to allow dry, hot air to circulate the trays and come in contact with the food being dried. The trays are stackable and sometimes rotated. It is made of mesh to keep air circulation at its optimum. Food placed on the trays must be sliced thinly to hasten its dehydration.

Installed thermostat keeps temperature optimal at 35 to 63 degrees centigrade and can be adjusted. Meats and animal products require higher temperatures compared to plant produce. Although dehydrators can run for a couple of hours to days, it is necessary to have a timer to remind you when to get the food out and keep it moisture free. Glass doors and light are optional features usually reserved for high end models, but it helps viewing the products being desiccated easier.

Working with a food sealer

The most popular one uses vacuum sealing. It can be used to limit the amount of air in contact with the food being stored. Having a vacuum sealer meant the food preserves its integrity during storage.

Food that has been processed by the dehydrator is already assured of being germ-free because of the lack of moisture. However, using a food sealer increases the ante by further improving its shelf life. Since dehydrated food have lower volume and densities, keeping them sealed means you save up on more storage space because you can stack them without occupying too much space on your pantry or storage area.

Since dehydrated food is often in bulk, you can re-seal them with the food sealer every time you use them up in your recipes. Despite these breaches on exposing unused food to moisture from the air, the shelf life would not be compromised because it can be resealed like new.

The downside to using food sealers is the availability of plastic containers that can pass through it. If you intend to process a lot, stock a lot on plastic containers that you’d need on the food sealer.

Wine cooler has been a trend during the ‘80s for different parties. These cocktail drinks are best suitable during summer when people have to quench their thirst and freshen up their body. It will be easier for you to drink wines if you will switch to a cooler. But have you ever thought that there is no need for you to go to bars just to have a drink of your favorite wine cooler drink? You can simply make your own recipe instead of spending for expensive wines in the market. You don’t have to pressure yourself of creating it perfectly knowing that you will just have to use it as a base. And if you are excited about preparing your own wine coolers, here are some recipes that you should try at home.

Homemade Wine Cooler Cocktails

Dark Island Cooler

Ingredients:

2 ounces of pineapple juice

1 ounce of spice rum

½ of vanilla bean

4 ounces of cabernet sauvignon wine

Seltzer water

Ice

Procedures:

First, you have to split the vanilla bean into two by cutting it lengthwise. After that, you’ll have to scrape the seeds in a glass. Then add wine, rum, and the pineapple juice. You should stir the mixture to allow the ingredients to combine. You can add the ice and fill in the seltzer water.

This will take you 5 minutes to finish for a single serving.

White Chiller

1 ounce of Blanco or silver tequila

4 ounces of sauvignon blanc wine

3 ounces of grapefruit soda

1 lime (juiced)

Ice

Procedures:

This wine cooler cocktail is easy to make. You will only need to mix all the ingredients using a tall glass filled with ice. Stir the mixture gently and serve.

It will take you 5 minutes to prepare the cocktail for a single serving.

Rose Tinted Glasses

Ingredients:

2 ounces of St. Germaine elderflower liqueur

1 cup of fresh hulled strawberries

8 ounces of rose wine

2 sprigs of fresh mint

Seltzer water

Ice

Procedures:

Using a blender, you’ll have to crush the strawberries until it becomes smooth. You need to strain it in a cocktail shaker by making use of a mesh strainer. After that, you can add the elderflower liqueur and also the rose wine. Fill in the ice then shake the ingredients to combine. Strain it into two ice-filled tall glasses. Put the seltzer water and use the mint sprigs to garnish the cocktail.

The procedure will take you 10 minutes to create 2 servings.

Watermelon Bellini

½ ounce of lemon juice

3/4 cup of watermelon chunks

1/3 cup of frozen peach chunks

6 ounces of prosecco sparkling wine

Procedures:

Combine the lemon juice, peaches, and watermelon by using a blender. You’ll have to crush it until it becomes smooth. Strain it in 2 wine flutes with the use of mesh strainer. Finish it with a prosecco wine.

You can make 2 servings of the cocktail in just 10 minutes.

3 Ways of Cooling Wine

The temperature of the wine has an effect on its taste, smell, and structure. You can identify the temperature that the wine needs according to its style and body like for example white wine is best served cold. There are various ways on how you can chill wine that differ with the time and effort that you have to exert. This is important for you to know if you want to serve wine in its finest flavor.

How to Chill Wines

Put the wine in a freezer or refrigerator

In order to achieve the best result from wines, you’ll have to let them stay in the fridge from 40 to 150 minutes. Red wines are easier to chill that will only take them 40 minutes compared to white wines that will take 2 ½ hours. It is necessary that you use an alarm to prevent the wine from freezing or control the wine’s temperature using a thermometer. A wine cooler can be a good alternative for standard fridges. You can check the best wine coolers in winecoolerlab.com

Use an ice bucket for chilling wine.

This method is perfect if you want to chill wines quickly. You will need to fill the bucket with ice, pour water, and add salt. Using small grains of salt can help you reduce the water’s freezing temperature. Soak the bottle and rotate it from time to time to speed up the process of chilling.

Store the wine.

Store the wine in a cool and dark place away from sunlight. If you don’t have a wine cellar, you can make your own or better have a wine refrigerator if you want to keep a dozen bottles of wine.